Answer the following questions:
What important invention helped make tall buildings possible?
Why did Chicago lead the way in skyscraper building?
Which disagreements existed between Louis Sullivan and other
architects of his time?
How many skyscrapers had been built in American cities by
1929?
Why are tall buildings sometimes criticized?
Put these events in the chronological order:
The Woolworth Building reached the new height of 60 stories.
The 110-story Sears Tower was completed in Chicago.
Most of central Chicago was destroyed by the Great Fire.
Major William Le Baron Jenney designed the 12-story Home Insurance Company Building in Chicago.
The 20-story Flatiron Building was built in New York City.
The twin towers of the World Trade Center appeared in New York.
The Great Depression hit the United States and put an end to many new skyscrapers.
Elisha Otis first demonstrated a steam-powered elevator.
102 stories of the Empire State Building were completed in New York.
Give your personal reactions to the text using these phrases.
I didn’t think/I already knew that… What surprised me was… |
It’s hard to believe that… I wonder what can be done to… |
Louis Sullivan favored simple, straightforward buildings. Other architects preferred fancier buildings with details like Greek columns and Gothic arches. Which style do you prefer?
Give the main points of the article “Buildings that scrape the sky” in 6-10 sentences. Use the following clichés:
The text deals with … . The author points out that ... . Attention is drawn to the fact that … . It should be noted that … . The importance of … is stressed. There is no doubt that … . The author comes to the conclusion that … . I find the text rather / very … .
Look at these four newspaper headlines. What do you think the story is behind each one? Discuss your ideas with your partner, and then tell the group.
Reading Task D
1. Read the dialogue and fill in the blanks using the words from the box below.
antenna gargoyles marshy elevator excavated architecture skyscrapers decorated observatory tallest population |
J
ohn:
Hey, it's really nice of you to show me round New York like this,
Uncle Harry.
Uncle Harry: It's my pleasure, John. I thought our next stop could be the Empire State Building.
J: But what's so special about it? It isn't even the highest in New York any more.
U.H.: Maybe not, but I think you'll be surprised to find out quite how interesting it is... Here we are!
J: O.K., then, let's go to the top!
U.H.: Right, here's the _____(1). We have to change at the 86th floor, and then we can go straight on up to the 102nd floor _____(2). The Empire State Building was finished in 1931. It was the highest building in the world then.
J.: Until 1972! That's when they built the World Trade Center.
U.H.: Hey, I didn't know you were an expert!
J.: Well actually, I've just done it in Civic Studies at school!
U.H.: Right then, let's see if we can find a few more facts to impress your teacher. Foundations, for example? They're only 20 meters deep, but nearly 400,000 tons of dirt and rock had to be _____(3). That's more than the weight of the whole building!
J.: Wow, we're here already. I didn't expect it to be so quick.
U.H.: Don't forget, there are 73 elevators in the building, and their speed can reach 360 meters a minute!
J.: Just look at the view! How high is the tower?
U.H.: Where we're standing, it's 381 meters, but right to the top of the TV _____(4) it's 443 meters from the ground.
J.: And look, there's the World Trade Center over there!
U.H.: Yes, you're looking to the south, and that tiny little dot in the distance is the Statue of Liberty. All the ages of American _____(5) are under your feet. Just down there is the Woolworth Building. It was the _____(6) in the world from when it was built in 1913 until the Chrysler Building was finished in 1930.
J.: Oh yeah, I can see it there to the east. Is it true that the top is _____(7) with the different symbols of Chrysler cars?
U.H.: Almost! In fact the _____(8) you can see up there reproduce the 1929 Chrysler radiator caps. And to its right you can see the United Nations Building.
J.: Oh yeah, Le Corbusier's building that they call “The Matchbox”.
U.H.: Hey, you've been reading the guide books too!
J.: I can't get over how many _____(9) there are, and how close they are together.
U.H.: That's why the _____(10) of Manhattan is so dense: there are thousands of people to the square meter! But don't forget that New York isn't all skyscrapers. The buildings are much lower in the areas which were _____(11), like in Greenwich Village.
J
.:
And have a look over there, north to Central Park. Then you'll see a
bit of green!
